NOVA-VEP Vision Testing System

Fox Chase Family Eye Care announces the addition of the Diopsys® NOVA-VEP Vision Testing System to the practice. The new vision testing system helps eye care professionals detect vision deficits, including glaucoma and other neuro-visual disorders.

Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world, reports the World Health Organization. According to Prevent Blindness America, glaucoma is often called the "sneak thief of sight" because half of all patients who have it do not know it. Many optic nerve disorders are asymptomatic since central vision may not be affected until later stages of the disease. Also, diagnosis and management of optic nerve disorders are often based on structural or visual field tests which are limited in their ability to detect disease early.

The Diopsys® NOVA-VEP allows clinicians to objectively assess vision disorders often earlier than traditional vision tests because it uses Visual Evoked Potential (VEP) technology and proprietary software to evaluate the entire vision system from the eye to the visual cortex. “VEP is an objective, functional test that can help discriminate between healthy and glaucomatous eyes,” says Alberto González García, M.D., neuro-ophthalmologist and Research Director at Diopsys, Inc., the device manufacturer. Eye care professionals may use VEP in addition to traditional testing methods to enhance diagnosis and treatment.

The Diopsys® NOVA-VEP records the electrical response of a patient’s entire vision system and provides easy-to-read reports that give the doctor a simple way to evaluate optic nerve function. Clinicians are able to compare tests over time to track disease progression.